Si's Fishless Cycle

[PDSimon]

There must be something releasing ammonia in my water now... but I can't find any decaying matter so what the hells going on?

What do I do...

It could have stalled completely but could it really process 4.5ppm of ammonia in 12 hours and then just left the other 0.5 for a further 10? seems unlikely

Just tested the water 20.00 and it is:

ammonia = 0.5
nitrite = 0.25
pH = 6

same reading as this morning

 

[kaivalagi]

I'm thinking it has something to do with putting in that substrate rather than the plants? Have you asked the green machine about what they think this might be from?

 

[PDSimon]

I'm thinking it has something to do with putting in that substrate rather than the plants? Have you asked the green machine about what they think this might be from?

I've been told it doesn't affect pH/cause ammonia by someone but I didn't ask at the green machine, I said I was about to add fish though... I may have asked I can't really remember, he said the ADA stuff did but thats not what i've got

just did a 50% w/c. Did a 30% before too... edit: that was between this mornings results and the results from 2 hours ago so there must be something raising ammonia I did find this jelly stuff in the substrate.. what the hell is that? there was quite a few blobs of it.

I did test yesterday randomly and everything was 0...

ok just tested now, (after the 50% waterchange)

ammonia = 0 - 0.25
nitrite = 0 - 0.25
pH = 6.6

In theory you would say its closest colour which is 0 for both but I know when its 0 and its very slightly different...

oh and I found a couple of sources saying tropica substrate doesn't affect water chemistry.

Dunno what to do

 

[PDSimon]

day 67 - 11.00
ammonia = 0.5-1
nitrite = 0.25
pH = 6

things are going backwards

 

[JoshuaA]

You could always buffer the pH up again with BiCarb assuming it won't hurt the plants. You could of somehow disturbed the filter, have you turned off the venturi valve since adding the plants? I know you were saying to me, perhaps they were relying heavily on the some amount of Oxygen that would dissolve in the water. (Our Venturi valve blasts air in all directions and some of the bubbles are in the water for a good 30/40 seconds at the bottom.

I just hope the Ammonia isn't killing your plants and you may have problems with Algae if you leave the light on at the moment.

It's been 0.0 for us since adding the 3 fish, although I do feel like we've wasted a bit of our time by only stocking like 30% of what we wanted lol. Bacteria will die in the filter and then it will take its time to slowly build back up. pH has stayed quite high so I'm impressed!

 

[PDSimon]

Good..I'm glad

Totally unsure of what to do, I can't really add bicarb now because if I add it, and do a 100% w/c some of the plants will snap...

What I will do today is:

- get a big bucket
- stick the bogwood and the plants in that with temp matched water and hopefully they will do ok in that for a few days (hoping the tank will cycle whilst they're out..)
- do a big waterchange on the tank
- go/tophone LFS with possibility of using some coral sand or whatever it is that raises pH
- test the big bucket of bogwood for ammonia to see if the bogwood is leaching it


josh you'll know... when you use prime with water and ammonia, if it converts to ammonium it doesn't show up on the test ?

I ask because I swear '5ppm' is lighter than it used to be..although I could be wrong. 5 and 2ppm on the colour card is so bloody similar.

I think the plants will be fine with the ammonia, it takes a while for it to be too much, its just the algae... but i'm doing waterchanges so it will struggle to take hold atm.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Wow you're having a nightmare!

I don't think the Prime alters the test results.....at least, if it does I didn't know lol!

 

[JoshuaA]

It shows up on the API test no problem with prime, I hear Coral sand IS NOT to be used with plants though or so I was told when I bought mine.

My plants came today, I will upload pictures later or tomorrow got about 40 plants lol.

6 x Amazon Swords
10 x Canadian Pondweed
10 x some other weed
5 x some other weed
3 x water sprites
3 x some other plant

If there's anything I could do to help then I will try, it would be a bit of a drive like though. If your plants take a turn for the worst and assuming mine don't either I'll give you a bunch of them. Theres no way I'm going to use them all, probably 3/4 max of the swords.

I think you should find out if Bi-carb will hurt your plants, and add a little bit of it. Enough to raise the pH and then when the stats return to normal drain the tank down to your plant level and then fill it up and drain it again. Ignore water temperature for the first refill and repeat with proper temperature matching. You will mostly dilute it.

I honestly think it's some of this plant product that has effected your pH although I personally think if you can get the stats pretty close to 0.0 you should add some fish after a big water change. Our pH has been pretty stable at 7.6 since we added the fish although I am expecting it to drop over some time when the Nitrate concentrations goes up.

I do feel like a lot of the effort waiting for 0.0 at 4ppm is wasted when I've only added 30-40% of the fish stock. However I do feel A LOT better about knowing our fish are in great water conditions. It seems perfect at the moment compared to our previous attempt at fish keeping. So you could always try get the water conditions close and then add your pair of Rams. I hear they are hardy but I also hear they're not hardy! So not sure what to think about that one, though 2 rams isn't 50% stocking for you?

Maybe Waterdrop or OldMan can help you on this one about whether adding the fish which MAY be exposed to very small quantities of Ammonia/Nitrite would be safe. I can imagine the filter would either cope with it easily or take a small time to catch up with it.

So my vote is your give it a few days and add your pair of rams.

COME ON MEXICO

 

[Twinklecaz]

Lol are you allowed to wear Mexico shirts in Mexico?

 

[JoshuaA]

Lol are you allowed to wear Mexico shirts in Mexico?

I wouldn't see why not? Just most people but the drug barrens can't afford them.

 

[PDSimon]

Thanks josh, appreciate the help.

I was going to get a salifert test today but they had non in ahh

I'm going to fix this now...

edit: get some pics josh!

 

[PDSimon]

tested the water now

ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.25

definately slowed down loads even if something is leaching out so yeah, plan of action, into action...

 

[JoshuaA]

tested the water now

ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.25

definately slowed down loads even if something is leaching out so yeah, plan of action, into action...

The plants will also compete with the bacteria but I can't imagine the effect would be so obvious so soon. Your API test kit is still good to use, Prime doesn't alter it at all.

Hope the water change does some good for your filter.

Just make sure your plants are ok with Coral sand, I don't think they will grow in it where I bought my plants the guy specifically says NOT to use it for planting.

Girlfriends tank before we added plants...



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[PDSimon]

I'm not going to use coral stuff anyway its too slow...

Might use the bicarb...Will just need to put some tubes in the tank to hold the amazon up or just take it out.

it wasn't that i dont like API i just wanted to see if it was a different colour...because i'm a bit unsure whether the ammonia is actually what it used to be anymore as well... argh.

Looking good, where are the fish though

 

[JoshuaA]

The black molly is just to the left of the centre, the platy is at the water line at the top and the honey gourami is at the bottom right you can see his reflection. It took me about 30 minutes to find them in the picture hah!

1:1 by the way, Mexico brought one back

I'm going to plant my tank as well today, I'll see how it goes with the Ammonia, hopefully they won't die!